This invention relates to improved methods and apparatus for moving pieces of cut product in a conveyor or printer system.
Various apparatus and method are known for moving products on conveyors and for providing printed items or products, such as printed papers.
The present invention in one embodiment provides an apparatus and method to decelerate printed product in a stacking process. The printed product may be products such as printed paper, foil, or plastic. The finishing stage in web printing processing of materials, like paper, foil, and plastic is cutting and stacking. The equipment in this process are sheeters, rotary cutters, etc. A continuous web of product is usually cut into single items, one item at a time, and then the items need to be stacked on top of one another.
The present invention in one embodiment discloses an apparatus for moving items comprised of a cylinder wherein the cylinder is comprised of a vacuum chamber and a blowing chamber. The items may be pieces of product. Each item or piece of product may be an individually cut piece of paper from a continuous web of paper.
The cylinder may be comprised of a plurality of cylinder perforations, which allow air from the blowing chamber to be blown out of the cylinder perforations. The same cylinder perforations may also allow air to be sucked into the vacuum chamber through the cylinder perforations. Note that the same cylinder perforations may be used to vacuum and to blow air in different times and in different areas.
The apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention may also include a first slow delivery tape which is wrapped around the cylinder, and which can transport items. The apparatus may be further comprised of a plurality of first fast delivery tape rollers and a first fast delivery tape which is wrapped around the plurality of first fast delivery tape rollers. At least a portion of the first fast delivery tape may lie above at least a portion of the first slow delivery tape. A plurality of first slow delivery tapes and a plurality of first fast delivery tapes analogous to the above may be provided.
The apparatus may also include a first brush disc ratably connected to a housing. The first brush disc may include a first brush which can push down a first piece of product to move the first piece of product closer towards blowing vacuum cylinder. A plurality of further brush discs may also be provided. Each brush disc may be connected to a shaft, which may be connected to housing members by bearings.
The apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention may also be comprised of a plurality of second fast delivery tape rollers, and a second fast delivery tape which is wrapped around the plurality of second fast delivery tape rollers. At least a portion of each of the second fast delivery tape can lie below a portion of the first fast delivery tape. At least a portion of the first fast delivery tape and at least a portion of the second fast delivery tape can act together to move items. The apparatus may additionally comprise a cutting device, which cuts pieces of paper from a continuous web of paper. A slow delivery tape vacuum may also be provided in the apparatus of the first embodiment, wherein each the slow delivery tape may move over the slow delivery tape vacuum in order to transport an item. The slow delivery tape may have a plurality of perforations and the slow delivery tape vacuum may have a long opening. The slow delivery tape vacuum may have supporting rollers inside the long vacuum opening, to support the slow delivery tape. The slow delivery tape vacuum may draw air in through the perforations of the slow delivery tape and through the supporting rollers in the slow delivery tape vacuum. A plurality of slow delivery tapes, slow delivery tape vacuums, second fast delivery tapes, and first fast delivery tapes may be provided.
The apparatus of the first embodiment may also be comprised of a fast delivery tape vacuum wherein the first fast delivery tape moves under the fast delivery tape vacuum in order to transport an item. The first fast delivery tape may have a plurality of perforations and the fast delivery tape vacuum may have a plurality of perforations. The fast delivery tape vacuum may draw air in through the perforations in the first fast delivery tape and through the perforations in the fast delivery tape vacuum. The apparatus may be comprised of a plurality of such fast delivery tape vacuums and first fast delivery tapes.
A first item, particularly a first piece of paper cut from a continuous web of paper; may be moved by the apparatus in a first direction by the first and second fast delivery tapes. A front portion of the first piece of paper may be pushed upwards by the blowing air emitted from the blowing vacuum cylinder. A rear portion of the first piece of paper may be pushed downwards by a plurality of first pressing brushes of the corresponding plurality of first pressing brush disc and sucked downwards by the vacuum portion of the blowing vacuum cylinder. The first piece of paper may be further moved in the first direction by a plurality of the slow delivery tape.
The apparatus in a first direction may move a second item, particularly a second piece of paper cut from a continuous web of paper by the first and second fast delivery tapes. A front portion of the second piece of paper may be pushed upwards by blowing air emitted from the blowing vacuum cylinder. A rear portion of the second piece of paper may be pushed downwards by a plurality of second pressing brushes, of the corresponding plurality of first pressing brush discs and sucked downwards by the vacuum portion of the blowing vacuum cylinder. The second piece of paper may be further moved in the first direction by the plurality of slow delivery tapes. The second piece of paper may be stacked on top of the first piece of paper, so that the second piece of paper overlaps the first piece of paper with a constant offset.